Wenger rules out a move for Terry

Arsene Wenger believes John Terry remains a great player but has ruled out making a shock move for the Chelsea captain.

The 36-year-old revealed on Sunday that he expects to leave the Blues in the summer having been told he will not be offered a new contract at the club.

Terry has been at Stamford Bridge since the age of 14 and has won no fewer than 16 major honours with Chelsea. The west London club issued their own statement on Sunday night in which they said a contract extension could yet be offered.

Wenger spoke warmly about the former England captain but said he would not follow up the signing of goalkeeper Petr Cech from Chelsea by going after Terry.

The Chelsea skipper has also said that he would not consider joining another English club, with the United States or China more likely destinations. Asked if he had any interest in signing Terry, Wenger said: "No, because he is at the end of his career and he has spent his career at Chelsea. If he wants to play longer, I am sure he will play for Chelsea.

"Loyalty works two ways. I always consider that I'm paid for my commitment to the club and I'm well paid so once it is over the club owes me nothing."

Wenger believes the player has shown more than enough in his time with Chelsea to suggest he has a bright future on and off the field. "He was not only a great player, he certainly still is, but he was also a great coach on the pitch," he added ahead of tonight's clash with Southampton.

"I saw him here once at London Colney playing with the under-21s and the way he coached the team as a player was absolutely marvellous.

"He was a real leader and he had a great career as well, let's not forget that. That's never a coincidence."

The win for Southampton at St Mary's was their third success over Arsenal in the previous four meetings of the sides in all competitions.

But Wenger has a simple answer when asked why the south-coast club are proving to be a bogey team for his Arsenal. "They have a good team," he said. "Let's not forget they won at Man United, they won at Chelsea, they are a team with quality players like Dusan Tadic, Sadio Mane, Shane Long, Graziano Pelle, Jose Fonte at the back. They are a team with top quality."